BNNRC launches media fellowship on road safety for 25 journalists

The Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication (BNNRC) has announced the launch of a Media Fellowship for Road Safety.

According to a press statement, the fellowship is provided under the project of Strengthening Road Safety Legislation on Key Behavioural Risk Factors in Bangladesh through Media Development.

This fellowship empowers media professionals — journalists, content creators, and digital media practitioners — to produce impactful, evidence-based stories highlighting road traffic crashes' human, social, and economic consequences. Through the initiative, BNNRC intends to promote safer mobility, encourage policy dialogue, and foster behaviour change through compelling storytelling.

The selected 25 fellows will receive mentorship, training, and financial support for research and development of the media content across diverse formats, including print, broadcast, and digital platforms. The fellowship aligns with BNNRC’s broader commitment to leveraging media for constructive journalism for road safety in Bangladesh.

BNNRC organised an orientation session at the YWCA in Dhaka. Twenty-five journalists attended the program. Six veteran and senior journalists are working as mentors to guide the fellows. A total of 25 fellows from print, television, and registered online will produce 75 reports on comprehensive road safety, road safety law, the safe system approach, and other Road safety-related issues.

The Fellowship's primary objectives were to draw the attention of the media houses to highlight more reports on comprehensive road safety laws. It is now the demand of the hour to increase awareness among all stakeholders and to conduct extensive publicity about implementing and enforcing road safety policies and laws.

Experienced journalists from newspapers, television, and government-registered online news portals reporting on road safety are participating in the fellowship. During the upcoming three workshops, special efforts will be made to provide qualitative information, references, and contact information on solutions and road safety data journalism.

BNNRC, as one of the members of the Road Safety Coalition Bangladesh, has been working tirelessly to enhance the capacity of the media in road safety through its Road Safety Coalition Bangladesh (RSCB) since 2022. BNNRC has provided training for trainers for journalists and trained 40 journalists in print, television, and online to acquire specialised skills in preparing reports on road safety.

It has provided fellowships to 10 journalists to prepare in-depth reports on comprehensive road safety. The 10 journalists have prepared a total of 40 reports. Three veteran and senior journalists served as mentors during the fellowship period.

Target 3:6 of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) calls for halving the number of deaths and injuries from road traffic accidents globally by 2030. Target 11:2 of the SDG calls for ensuring access to safe and sustainable transport for all by 2030 through the expansion of public transport and improving road safety.

In line with the safe system approach, the Bangladesh government is dedicated to developing and enacting its inaugural national road safety law by 2027. Furthermore, a central database system is set to be established by 2026 to comprehensively collect, store, and manage information regarding road crashes, encompassing pertinent details such as crash specifics, vehicle-related injuries, sustained injuries, and fatalities from diverse sources. To enhance road safety measures, the government will also formulate a speed limit management guideline by 2026, ensuring effective implementation of the motor vehicle speed limit guideline introduced in 2024. In addition, reflecting its commitment to safety, Bangladesh will develop appropriate guidelines for implementing and enforcing helmet standards by 2026.

The press statement says BNNRC is a media development (MD) and digital development organisation established in 2000. It addresses knowledge-based and ongoing media and digital development issues, considering the challenges and opportunities of Bangladesh's rapidly changing media and digital development reality.

BNNRC is dedicated to advancing Knowledge-Driven Media Development (KDM) in Bangladesh. With the distinction of holding Special Consultative Status with the ECOSOC of the United Nations, BNNRC has been honoured as a winner and champion of the UN WSIS (World Summit on the Information Society) Award in the years 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023.